Fort Dodge

Fort Dodge, city (1990 pop. 25,894), seat of Webster co., central Iowa, on the Des Moines River; settled c.1846; inc. 1869. Fort Clarke was built on the site in 1850 and renamed Fort Dodge the following year. In a mining and agricultural area, Fort Dodge is a rail and distribution center. Industries in the city pack meat and make farm equipment and fertilizers. Gypsum mills are in Fort Dodge, and the outlying region has extensive gypsum beds. The city has the Fort Dodge Historical Museum.